Tethered aerial top or spinner



June 24, 1941. H. SINGER TETHERED AERIAL TOP on srmmn Filed Aug. 13, 1940 Henry 75 27 Patented June 24-, 1941 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a tethered aerial top or spinner, and it is a particular object of the invention to provide a device of this kind including rotatable units each having associated therewith a clapper so mounted and arranged to cause a tapping during the time the top or spinner is in rotation.

The invention consist in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved tethered aerial top or spinner whereby certain important advantages are attained and the article rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a tethered aerial top or spinner constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken radially thru Figure 1 with certain of the parts in elevation;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation particularly illustrating in detail the mounting of the clappers a herein embodied.

A disclosed in the accompanying drawing my improved top or spinner comprises a shaft I of desired length and radiu and which has its opposite ends continued by the reduced extensions 2. These extensions 2 are directed through the axial centers of the duplicate bell-shaped members or units 3 having their open faces disposed one toward the other. The reduced extensions 2 are of such a length in the present embodiment of my invention to allow the outer ends thereof to be readily upset, as at 4, to firmly clamp the units 3 against the end faces of the shaft I whereby the units 3 are rigidly secured to the shaft I for rotation therewith.

The units 3 may be made of hard wood, metal, shatterproof glass, or any other material which will readily give off sound vibrations or clapper noises. Each of these units 3 preferably at a point closely adjacent to its inner open face has pressed or struck inwardly therefrom the projections or lugs 5. In the present embodiment of my invention, these projections or lugs 5 are three in number and equidistantly spaced around the unit 3. These projections or lugs extend inwardly of the unit 3 a distance sufficiently to be struck or tapped by the striker head 8 of a clapper C. This head 6 is carried by an end portion of an arm I of desired length and the opposite or inner end of the arm I is provided with a clevis 8 which straddles and pivotally engages an outwardly and radially disposed extension 9 of an annular plate It. This plate It freely surround the shaft I between a pair of slightly spaced annular grooves II in the periphery of the shaft I as is particularly illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawing. Tightly fitting within these grooves I I are the split rings I2 which serve to maintain the plate It! against undue movement lengthwise of the shaft I. These rings I2 may be readily slid over an end of the shaft I to a desired position within the grooves 3. said rings being of a contractile type.

The shaft I at the longitudinal center thereof and between the applied units 3 is formed to provide an enlarged annular head I I and the periphery of said head I4 at the opposite extremities thereof is provided with the rabbets I5 in which tightly fit the central portions of the disks l6. The disks I6 are of a major diameter substantially the same as the major diameters of the units 3 a clearly illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawing. It is to be particularly noted that the peripheral portions of these disks I6 are disposed, as at H, on outward rounded curvatures to eliminate cutting of the cord or tether I8 as it winds or unwinds around the head It between the disks I6. As disclosed in the accompanying drawing this cord or tether I8 is threaded through an opening I9 extending radially through the head It and shaft l with the associated extremity of the cord or tether I8 knotted or otherwise enlarged, as at 2!), to prevent com.- plete separation of the cord or tether I 3 from the shaft I.

The shaft l with the units 3 are caused to intermittently rotate in reverse direction upon proper manipulation of the tether or cord I8 and during such rotations the heads 6 of the clappers C will strike the projections or lugs 5 and thereby create bell sounds.

It is to be stated that it is preferred that the clappers C each be of such length as to softly strike its associated lugs 5 to produce a tingle in contradistinction to loud and harsh sound vibrations.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a tethered aerial top or spinner constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

7 I claim:

1. A tethered aerial spinner comprising a shaft, bell-shaped units carried by the opposite end portions of the shaft for rotation therewith, the open faces of said units being disposed one toward the other inwardly projected lugs carried by the units, plates freely mounted upon the shaft with one of said plates within each of the units, clappers pivotally engaged with the plates for striking the projections upon rotation of the shaft and units, disks mounted upon the shaft between the units, said disks being spaced one from the other and of a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the units, each of said disks being closely adjacent to the open face of a bell unit but free of connection with said unit, and a tether for rotating the shaft and units winding and unwinding upon the shaft between the disks, the peripheral portions of the disks being outwardly disposed on a rounded curvature in directions toward the bell units.

2. A tethered aerial spinner comprising a shaft, bell-shaped units carried by the opposite end portions of the shaft for rotation therewith, inwardly projected lugs carried by the units, plates freely mounted upon the shaft with one of said plates within each of the units, clappers pivotally engaged with the plates for striking the projections upon rotation of the shaft and units, a tether associated with the central portion of the shaft for rotating the same, a portion of the shaft within each of the units being provided therearound with grooves slightly spaced apart in a direction lengthwise of the shaft, one of the plates being positioned between each pair of said grooves, and split rings seating within said grooves for holding the plate against undue movement lengthwise of the shaft.

3. A tethered aerial spinner comprising a shaft, bell-shaped units carried by the shaft at points spaced lengthwise of the shaft for rotation therewith, sounding members for striking the bell units upon rotation of the shaft and units, disks mounted upon the shafts between the units, said disks being spaced one from the other and positioned closely adjacent to the units, said disks being of a major diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the adjacent portion of the units, the peripheral portions of the disks being outwardly disposed on a curvature in a direction toward the bell units, and a tether for rotating the shaft and units winding and unwinding upon the shaft between the disks, the curved peripheries of the diskss protecting the tether against being out either by the disks or by the bell units as the tether winds and unwinclsi HENRY SINGER. 

